Bailroad-rail  cotjpung



intimen srfrrns PATENT OFFTQFQ.

A. N. GRAY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAILROAD-RAIL COPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent No; 33,036, dated August 13, 1861.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, A. N. GRAY, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogaand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful mprovement inClamp-Couplers for Railroad-Rails; and l do hereby declare that thefollowing is aV full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto they accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarkedthereon.

In the drawings, Figure l. is a perspective view of two rails connectedby my improved coupler. Fig. 2. is a top view of the same the railsresting on portions of two ties, thus showing the position of thecoupler between such ties. Fig. 3. is a cross section through thecoupler-and rail. Fig. 4. is an end view of a rail with t-he couplerattached. Figs. 5. 6. and 7. are detached views of separate partshereafter more fully described.

In the common way of making' rail roads, the ends of the rails meet andrest upon the tie or upon a chair supported by the tie. In such casesthe ends of the rails are soon battered down giving an uneven' surfaceto the top of the rail. The tie or chair under the ends of the rail actslike an anvil supporting the rail, so that the wheel in passing gives astroke upon the rail over such anvil or solid support, which stroketends to rapidly crush down the top of the rail at the end. In order toprevent this difficulty attempts have been made to securely connect theends of rails when meeting between the ties where such ham1ner-and-anvilcrushing action may be avoided. But great difficulty has been found insecurely connecting the ends of the rails between the ties. The boltsscrews or wedges employed in connecting such rails between the ties areliable to work loose and it is difficult to secure the full strength of`the coupling, and the proper stiffness of t-he joint and prevent therails from crawling7 or separating from each other so as to leave aspace between the rails where the wheel may sink and soon batter therail as above explained.

The object of my invention is to make a more simple, convenient,efficient and cheap coupling for rail-road rails to be used between theties.

My invention consists in a peculiar construction and arrangement ofclamp coupler and key by means of which, in connection with a gib, bothflanges of the rail are "brought home upon thel bed of theV couplingpiece, said flanges receiving both a vertical and a lateral pressure,thus employing the full strength of the rails and of the coupling `pieceand making the rail Vas sti at the joint as in any other place, whilethere is no undue strain upon any part, the whole being locked in closeContact by the selffastening key.

In the use of my invention it is .proposed to fasten the rails A, A.directly upon the ties T, Fig. 2. by means of spikes s, without chairs,the ends of vthe rails meeting between the ties where they are clampedtogether. The ends of the two rails being brought together the couplingpiece Fig. 5. is adjusted as shown in Fig.V 3, when the gibs E, areinserted and the whole fastened together by the key L. The couplingpiece Fig. 5. may be rolled to t any form of T rail. On one side thecoupler has a broad lip C, fitting the side of the rail, and on theother side there is a small lift D, embracing the flange of the rail.The bed B, of the coupler just lits the bottom of the rail. There areholes through the coupler and notches in the edge of the flange toreceive the gibs E. The under side of the head of the gib E, Fig. 3, isinclined so as to lit the top of the flange of the rail, and the hook ofthe gib locks under the coupler as seen at E so that the driving of thekey L, will give the gib a wedge like clamping action, pressing thecoupler and the flange of the rail together and atthe same time drivingthe rails laterally under the lip C. Thus the key and gib produce acombined vertical and lateral pressure upon the rails and coupler,bringing all the parts into close Contact and form.- ing a reliablejoint. The gibs being let` into the flange of the rail, and the notchesfor the two outer' gibs being several inches from the end of the rail itis impossible for the joint to open, provision being made for eX-pansion in punching the coupler and rail. The central gib is placed atthe meeting of the rails so as to hold the ends even at top and sidethus giving an even surface for the tread and flange of the wheel.

The key L is of peculiar construction being beveled on one side towardthe lower end, so as to have sulficient drift for keying the partstogether laterally, and then having parallel sides above the bevel nearthe head of the key as seen in Fig. 3. Then this key is driven home itcannot possibly work loose because the pressure is upon the parallelsides and not upon the bevel. As the key stands perpendicularly, itsgravity will prevent it Jfrom falling out.

My invention has been in experimental use during` the last six monthsand may be recommended for the following reasons:

1. The key L, being beveled only in part of its length, and arrangedvertically is simple, eiicient self-fastening and yet easily removed.

2. The bed B, of the coupler and the lip C, being brought home upon therail the full strength of the coupler is obtained without undue strainupon either side of the coupler or of the rail, (the gibs being equal instrength to the lip C).

3. The joint made by my coupler is equal in strength and durability toany other part of the rail. As all the parts are in close contact thereis no jar or wear of the coupler gib or key.

I am aware that railroad rails have been coupled between the ties bydifferent clamping devices therefore I confine my claims to theimprovements herein set forth,-to the substantial new results and not tothe precise form of the devices.

I am aware that rail road spikes have been made somewhat similar to mykey, but such spikes are sharpened at the point and driven into wood forthe purpose of holding them and the rail in place. In connection with agib I believe it is new to employ the above described key L, having awedge like action and at the same time being self-fastening Withoutentering the sleeper as set forth.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is;

l. The combination of the key L, with a gib for clamp-couplers forrailroad rails, said key being self-fastening substantially as setforth.

2. The 'special combination and arrangement of the coupler B, C, gib E,and key L, With the rails A, A substantially in the manner and for thepurposes herein described.

y ADMIRAL N. GRAY. lVitnesses:

DANIEL BREED, JOHN UNDEIzwooD.

